St. John is sometimes referred to as the “Beverly Hills of the Caribbean. It has become the place to travel in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It’s not easy to get to because there is no airport on St. John. But the capital of the Us. Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie, is only four miles away. So, St. John is easy to get to by ferry or by boat. On the island you will find gorgeous, sun-baked beaches, a national park that covers almost two-thirds of the island, coral reefs, and friendly locals. On St. John, you can stay in an eco-friendly cabin, a campground, a beautiful resort or in villas and vacation rentals that range from quaint to super luxurious. Cruz Bay is the main town on St. John., and this is where the ferry is that connects St. John to St. Thomas. St. John offers nature lovers an array of activities. One of the most popular activities of course, is going to the beach. St. John beaches are protected by the National Park Service. St. John offers rest, relaxation and an adequate amount of sporting activities. Plan the activities you would like to do most and have a great vacation! Visit the beautiful beaches of St. John here on our Lesser Antilles Beach Guide. Let our St. John travel guide lead the way for you to plan your next beach destination!
St John Weather – When to Visit
It is warm year-round on St. John. The average max temp. is 84-89°F, with August being the hottest month and Dec-Jan the coldest. The average min temp is 73°F-80°F. The average water temperature is 82°F. February to May are the driest months, October to January the wettest. It can however heavily rain any day of the year, but usually it is gone as fast as it came. Rain is actually a welcome relief from the heat. September is the low season and many businesses are closed. Other than that, any time is good to visit. The climate is most agreeable in December through February, but these are also the most expensive months (however some good deals can be made in the 2nd half of February). If you are a surfer or like waves, you are more likely to find them from November to April. But tropical storms can generate some random big swells as well.
The Best 5 St John Beaches
Trunk Bay Beach
Trunk Bay is known for its 650 feet of underwater snorkeling trail that includes identification signs on the bottom of the sea, describing the coral formations and fish that inhabit the waters. It’s educational and a fun way to spend the day. You can rent snorkel gear from the water sports center. The beach features showers, restrooms, a food concession, water toy rentals and a gift shop. The beach is part of the National Park and it is the only beach with an admission fee of $4. There are lifeguards on duty.
Maho Bay Beach
Maho Bay is great for children. The water is shallow and protected. If you take a full-day sail to St. John, you may visit Maho Bay. Look carefully in the sand while snorkeling; you might see a stingray, just look for the outline in the sand.
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Cinnamon Bay Beach
One of the longest beaches in St. John’s National Park is Cinnamon Bay, it is about a mile long. You can snorkel, swim, kayak or participate in other water sport activities. The campground has restrooms, showers, a food concession and water sports rentals. While there is no snorkel trail, there is great snorkeling to the right side of the beach, if you don’t mind the swim or check out the nature trail across from the campground.
Honeymoon Bay Beach
Honeymoon Beach is a pretty beach with sandy shoreline surrounded by sea grape and coconut trees. It offers great snorkeling , swimming and lounging. You can access the Honeymoon Beach via the Lind Point Trail which starts just behind the Virgin Islands National Park Visitor Center in Cruz Bay and connects to Caneel Bay Resort. Or you can park in the Caneel Bay parking lot and walk over along the coastline from there.
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Hawksnest Beach
One of St. John’s most convenient beaches, Hawksnest Beach offers picnic tables and barbecue grills. A great snorkeling reef starts close to shore. It has plenty of parking, a soft sand beach, a dramatic shoreline and plenty of shade under the sea grapes that line the water. Depending on the tide, Hawksnest can be a very narrow beach – so grab your sun early and enjoy the shade later in the day.
Best St John Restaurants
Mirador by Chef Benny $11 – 30
Mirador by Chef Benny features an array of options from all over the world with a special touch of Caribbean flavor. Mirador is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday. Chef Benny believes in serving the best ingredients possible, which include Wagyu Beef, Korabuto Pork, Free Range Chicken along with locally caught Mahi, Wahoo and Lobster. Telephone: 340-775-7200 Web: Mirador by Chef Benny
Extra Virgin Bistro $31 – 60
At Extra Virgin Bistro they are dedicated to locally grown and sourced products, so much so that they grow most of their own herbs on site. They buy most of their fish from local fishermen and you will often find their names printed on the menu next to the fish they brought in that day. Telephone: 340-715-1864 Web: Extra Virgin Bistro
The Longboard – Coastal Cantina $11 – 30
The Longboard is a Caribbean-inspired Coastal Cantina, focusing on fresh, local ingredients, offering light and healthy fares and creative cocktails inspired from coastal regions around the globe. The bar menu offers a wide selection of house-crafted cocktails, beers, wines, and specialty drinks, including their world-famous Frozen Painkiller. Daily Happy Hour is from 3 PM – 6 PM. Telephone: 340-715-2210 Web: The Longboard – Coastal Cantina
Morgan’s Mango Restaurant $11 – 30
At Morgan’s Mango, they try to reflect the life of the islands, a place of dazzling light and color, tropical breezes and starry nights, a relaxed and sensory experience. Join them to share in the culinary history of an island world crowded with so many wonderful cultures that it takes your breath way. Their food covers many Caribbean and South American cuisines—Creole, Bahamian, Cuban, Jamaican, Haitian, Puerto Rican, Argentinian and Mayan. Telephone: 340-693-8141 Web: Morgan’s Mango Restaurant
Lime Inn $11 – 30
Their menu consists of perennial classics such as our famous clam chowder and frozen key lime pie, and features fresh local fish and ingredients. Enjoy a taste of the Caribbean. Telephone: 340-776-6425 Web: Lime Inn
Best St John Bars & Nightlife
Umami Bar
Centrally located in Cruz Bay, Umami Bar is the place for sushi, fresh seafood, and eclectic cocktails. The vibe is casual and the food and drinks fresh. One special is the Guava Mama, this cocktail is almost too beautiful to drink. Vibrant pink and made with Milagro, Campari, St. Germaine, fresh guava juice, lime juice and jalapeno syrup, the rim is spiced with dramatic black smoky jalapeno ash. Stop in for Happy Hour from 3 – 6pm and enjoy 2 for 1 cocktails everyday. Telephone: 340-244-2824 Web: Umami Bar.
Dog House Pub
With plenty of TVs and a casual, inexpensive menu the Dog House Pub in St. John is the ideal place to watch the game, dance the night away, sing karaoke, and enjoy live music. This place is fun and features American cuisine, plus it has a large selection of craft beers sure to please everyone (over 50 different beers). Stop by for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or happy hour. Telephone: 340-777-3361 Web: Dog House Pub.
Drink
If you are looking to enjoy a fantastic cocktail with an ocean view, head to Drink, located on Cruz Bay in St. John. It’s one of the best spots on the island for sunsets, and the specialty of the house, the Bushwhackers, are not to be missed. Try the peanut butter, Nutella, or Thin Mint Bushwhackers. These delicious milkshake-like drinks are a treat after time in the sun. Drink is also known for their fabulous bar staff, mixologists that are ready to whip up whatever cocktail you desire. Telephone: 407-758-6924 Web: Drink.
The Beach Bar
As stated on their Facebook page “Toes in the sand & a drink in your hand!” The Beach Bar is a staple in St. John with outdoor games, live music, and world famous Bushwhackers and Painkillers. The Beach Bar is a great place for a night out in St. John, or a Sunday funday. The adults can drink beverages and play bag toss while the kids build sandcastles close by. You won’t want to miss out on the fun at the Beach Bar. Happy hour is 3-7pm daily. Telephone: 340-777-4220 Web: Beach Bar.
The Longboard Coastal Cantina
Offering small plates and strong drinks, order the house special Dark & Stormy. The Longboard has an extensive menu offering gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options as well as home-made sodas and ginger beer, and fresh squeezed juices sure to please everyone. Happy hour is 3 – 6pm daily. Telephone: 340-715-2210 Web: The Longboard.
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I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! For a short stay, I’d recommend Destin or Grayton Beach. Destin has that perfect blend of soft sand, emerald water, great restaurants, and a lively yet relaxed atmosphere. Grayton Beach, on the other hand, is quieter and feels more natural — ideal if you love peaceful walks and local charm. Both truly capture what makes the Emerald Coast unforgettable, so it just depends on whether you want a little more action or pure tranquility.
Good post. I Am planing To travel and your post provided me useful information.
Glad I could help!
Wow. Trunk Bay sounds like a gorgeous place to visit. I’ve never been snorkling, but an underwater snorkeling trail sounds like a great way to explore.
I agree Melinda! Believe it or not I have only snorkeled once in my life in Hawaii. It was a bad experience (my fault), but I can’t get past it LOL So I do everything else. Thanks for reading my St. John Travel Guide!
Hi
I love your homepage, my absolute life is the beach and I found many to which I have been. It’s well written and has tons of links. Definitely a link I would put on my page.
If you are interested in connecting please let me know.
Good luck
Catherine
I am very interested in connecting and will do likewise 🙂 Thank you so much and I am glad you enjoyed.
I have always wanted to visit St. John, so finding this post was perfect timing. This is a great resource, and I have bookmarked it for when I start planning. I love that you included which restaurants to try as well as how pricey they are! I loved the pictures that you included as well! Great information!
Thanks Melinda! I am glad you are enjoying reading all there is to see and do on the beautiful island of St John. It will take a little time for them to rebuild after the hurricanes that hit them, but I think by next year, they will be back to their usual beauty. Thanks for reading!
This is such an informative site. My wedding is coming up in 5 months and I still have no idea where we are going on our honeymoon. The beautiful beaches you talked about on your site were exciting and helped me narrow some beautiful destinations down. Thank you so much!
You are very welcome. Just a note, that I don’t think any of the islands in this area will be having visitors for a while until they can rebuild from the destruction of Irma, Jose, and Martha. One island that is still good is Aruba. They are outside of the hurricane belt and saw very little devastation. You can learn more, and plan at this link: Aruba Travel Guide. Thanks for visiting my St John Travel Guide.
You’ve presented the coolest and some of the best places to travel. I am looking forward to finding myself one day at some of these places.I put quite a few on my list of places to visit including, bookmarking your site for me to come back when time to travel and adventures will begin… Thank you so much for all your time and effort! I love reading about great vacation getaways, and I have just spent entirely too much time on your site!
I am glad you found yourself wandering through my site 🙂 It is habit forming I hope, enough to get you to get planning and start visiting some of these wonderful places! Keep checking back for more amazing locations!
Wow St. John looks like the place to be. Im still in the midst of planning a winter getaway. I think with these destruction caused by these hurricanes we are going to see alot of pressure on other travel destinations. Unfortunately price increases will follow.
Do you now how bad the damage was in the St. John area was?
Cheers
I know that St. John was heavily damaged. They lost homes, cars, roofs, and the landscape of the little island has been stripped bare. They had the 150 mile an hour gusts slam into them when Irma showed up. So, it will be a little while for them to rebuild. I don’t know if we will see price increases. You have to remember that these islands depend on tourism for their economy. So right now, they are suffering huge economically. I think we will see some great prices to get tourists back to these great islands in the Caribbean. Thank you for visiting BeachTravelDestinations.com.
Hey, thanks for your post. I appreciate you takng the time and breaking it all down for us. This is great, as I have been looking at planning a trip to St. John. Looks like I can plan for a bit with the hurricane damage. All the information and the pictures help me just visualize being there now. I can’t wait to vacation there! It looks great. Again, thanks for all the information and investing all your time. It’s a great site.
You are most welcome Jerry! Yes, they were hit pretty hard by the hurricane. This does give you extra time to plan and get ready for your trip. I am sure you will enjoy. Thanks for visiting the St John Travel Guide.
St. John seems like a wonderful place to visit! I would definitely enjoy the nightlife in this place. Looks like there is a lot of it. I have been searching for the perfect beach destination that had it all, and I do like to enjoy nightlife while I am on vacation. Thank you for your very detailed post on St. John. I think I have found my next vacation spot!
Yes, St. John is not lacking in night life for sure. They have a lot of it, and to enjoy beautiful beaches, scenery, the ocean, wonderful accommodations and the nightlife all on one island is amazing! Thank you for reading the St John Travel Guide!
I have always wanted to visit St. John’s.
The idea of rest and relaxation on an island in the Carribean sounds magnificent. I have heard of Trunk Bay from others and I would definitely go there. Snorkeling is one of my favorite things to do. Cinnamon Bay sounds perfect to snorkel with the family. I think that one of the charters you mentioned would be fun for a day.
What a beautiful place!
I am glad you enjoyed reading the St. John Travel Guide 🙂 Yes, so many wonderful things to do on the island of St. John. I hope I have you that push to start packing your suitcase and planning your trip to St. John! Thanks for reading BeachTravelDestinations.com!
This article makes me want to travel right now!!! I can’t believe how many things there are to do and see on this beautiful island. I think the best idea is the Lion in Da Sun option where you can island hop to even more places. Its such a shame the amount of destruction all of these islands including St. Johns have experienced with the recent hurricanes.
It is definitely a shame to see such devastation for sure. I truly believe that in no time, they will be back to their full beauty and ready to welcome visitors. I agree that the Lion in Da Sun is a great way to see and do so much! Glad you enjoyed reading and thanks for visiting the St. John Travel Guide!
Nice post ! Great pics and loads of good information. Have to bookmark this page when it is time to travel ..Loved the article and so looking forward a vacation in St. John.
Thank you and yes, great place and pretty much any time of year is going to be great to travel here. Thanks for visit my St. John Travel Guide!
Hi there,
I really enjoyed reading this article, such useful information, it made me want go to St. John today. It has been on my bucket list for a while now. But, of course I am hoping to gaining a larger income in order to visit. Once I am ready I will come back to your site, which I have bookmarked, so that I can get busy making it happen!
Sounds like a good plan. Yes, now if I could also earn a larger income, oh all the places I would visit. There are so many great beach destinations around the world just waiting for me. St. John is amazing, and when you are ready, you will love it! Thanks for visiting BeachTravelDestinations.com!